Doukhobour

Larry A. Ewashen

Larry Ewashen was raised in the Doukhobour settlement of Lundbreck. He completed his BA at the University of Alberta and his MA in Ohio. Since 1993, he has been the Curator of the Doukhobour Village Museum in Castlegar, British Columbia. Prior to becoming Curator, he worked as an actor and director of theatre productions and films. He spent time as an acting and technical instructor at Ryerson University and as Artistic Director and General Manager of Canadore College Theater Arts Program in Ontario. He has also created a documentary, In Search Of Utopia­—The Doukhobours.

Source

Anastasia Holuboff

Anastasia Holuboff was born in 1885. When she came to Canada, she was the favourite companion of Peter Verigin, the leader of the Doukhobours in Canada. She travelled with him as he went to all the Doukhobours settlements in Canada, teaching and resolving quarrels as he went. When Verigin died in 1924, Anastasia felt that she was the logical successor as Doukhobour leader. When Verigin’s son was chosen instead, Anastasia took all of her supporters who would come and moved to Alberta. She bought 1,120 acres of land near Shouldice and set up a Doukhobour community that, at its peak, was comprised of 165 families. Although Anastasia showed great spirit in setting up her community, it was not a success. She was not a strong leader, and quarrels often broke out between members. Because her group refused to recognize the new Doukhobour leader, they had no contact with other Doukhobour settlements. World War II, with its economic problems, was the death blow for the community. The last family moved away in 1945 and, today, Sholdice is a ghost town.

This project has been supported in part by the Canadian Studies Program, Department of Canadian Heritage; the opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Canada.